Quartermaster Award

Quartermaster Award requirements

1. Ideals
1. Initiate a discussion on the ideals stated in the Sea Promise.
2. Prepare a written analysis, offering recommendations for improvements regarding one of the following ship's programs: bylaws and code, training programs, ceremonies, quarterdeck meetings, recruiting programs, or fund-raising.
2. Active Membership
1. Attend at least 75 percent of your ship's meetings and special activities for 18 months. Note: Check with your ship's yeoman.
2. Present a talk or program at least 15 minutes long on Sea Scouts to a service club, religious organization, PTA, or other adult organization.
3. Leadership
1. Quartermaster Project: While an Able Sea Scout, plan, develop, and demonstrate leadership to others in a service project that is helpful to any religious institution, school, or your community. The project plan must be approved by your Skipper and ship committee and approved by the council or district advancement committee before you start. This service project should involve your ship and at least one other group.
2. Officer: Either serve as an elected officer for at least six months or serve as an activity chair for three major events (These events are in addition to the Able requirement.)
3. Quartermaster Cruise: Take command of a vessel with a crew of not less than four Sea Scouts for at least 40 consecutive hours, including two nights. You must delegate and supervise all duties. During the cruise complete the following: Inspect the vessel for required equipment; supervise all menu preparation; prepare the boat to get underway with a proper checklist approved by the adult leaders; anchor, dock, and maintain course by commands to the helmsman; remain underway for an extended period during darkness; and discuss appropriate nighttime running procedures. While underway, perform the following drills: man overboard, damage control, abandon ship, fire, collision, and any other drills used by your ship. During this cruise no substantial errors may be committed.
or

Successfully complete SEAL (Sea Scout Advanced Leadership) training.

4. Swimming
   Either complete the requirements for BSA Lifeguard or complete a Red Cross lifesaving course or other certified lifesaving course.
5. Safety
1. Know the heavy-weather precautions taken aboard both power and sailing vessels when dangerous weather approaches, and demonstrate these precautions aboard the vessel used by your ship.
2. Know the special precautions that should be taken when limited visibility is encountered.
3. Draw the International Code flags and pennants from memory and give the single-letter meanings (Alpha = Have diver down, keep clear) of the flags. Show how to use the book International Code of Signals.
6. Marlinspike Seamanship
1. Teach the Apprentice, Ordinary, and Able marlinspike seamanship requirements to a crew.
2. Make an eye splice in double-braided line.
7. Boat Handling
1. Take charge of the craft used by your ship and give all commands to the crew for picking up a mooring buoy and properly mooring the vessel in several wind and current situations.
2. Demonstrate and teach the principles of springing into and out from a dock, from both bow and stern, using an engine depending on the type of vessel used by your ship.
3. Teach Ordinary and Able boat handling requirements to a crew.
8. Anchoring
1. Teach the Ordinary and Able anchoring requirements to a crew.
2. Know the methods of bringing a vessel to anchor and a mooring with special emphasis on wind and current with respect to the vessel's course and speed.
3. Take charge of a vessel used by your ship and give all commands to the crew for setting and weighing anchor in several wind and current situations.
9. Navigation Rules
   Teach the Ordinary navigation rules requirements to a crew.
10. Piloting and Navigation
1. Teach the Ordinary and Able piloting requirements to a crew.
2. Know the methods of fixing a boat's position in limited visibility.
11. Weather
1. Read and understand a local weather bulletin. Know how to obtain current marine and weather reports from the National Weather Service in your area by telephone, radio, or online.
2. Demonstrate your ability to read a barometer, thermometer, anemometer, psychrometer, and weather vane. Be familiar with the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.
3. Demonstrate your knowledge of the weather signs for your local area, including cloud types. Prepare a 48-hour forecast and compare your forecast with the actual weather that occurred.
12. Environment
1. Discuss the three types of marine sanitation devices and the laws governing sewage discharge.
2. Explain what gray water is and how it should be handled in your boating area.
3. Explain what aquatic nuisance species are and how you can help stop their spread.
4. Write a 500-word report on an aquatic environment (freshwater, coastal, estuary, or sanctuary). Include in the report the location, habitat, history, animals and plants that inhabit the area, its importance to man, current regulations, and what boaters can do to help preserve it for future generations.
13. Electives - Do any four of the following.
1. Sailing: Know the principles of handling a schooner, ketch, yawl, or other suitable sailing vessel. Under competent direction, take charge of a crew and demonstrate your ability to handle a suitable sailing vessel in all points of sail.
2. Engines:
1. Explain the principal features of steam turbine, turboelectric, direct reversing diesel, diesel-electric, gas turbine, nuclear, gasoline, and diesel engines and the relative advantages of each type.
2. Explain the operation of spark ignition and compression ignition for internal combustion engines used aboard small vessels.
3. Demonstrate your familiarity with the engine aboard the vessel used by your ship, including its principles of operation, fuel, lubrication, cooling and electrical systems, and their component parts.
4. Demonstrate your ability to locate and correct minor engine troubles according to the engine manufacturer's troubleshooting guide.
3. Vessel Maintenance: Take charge of reconditioning or overhauling at least one of your ship's vessels, or take charge of hauling out the principal vessel used by your ship. In either case, lay out a plan of the work to be done in advance, including an estimate of the materials, tools, cost, and time involved.
4. Electricity:
1. Know and demonstrate the correct method of rescuing a person in contact with a live wire.
2. Understand the construction of simple battery cells. Demonstrate the proper care of storage batteries.
3. Explain the difference between direct current and alternating current and the best uses for each.
4. Demonstrate that you know how to replace fuses, reset circuit breakers, and properly splice shipboard electric cable.
5. Submit a diagram of the electrical system aboard the vessel used by your ship.
6. Explain wire tables, the current-carrying capacity of circuits, and the hazards and prevention of electrical overloading.
7. Explain electrolysis as applied to the deterioration of a boat's underwater fittings by galvanic action and its prevention.
5. Navigation:
1. Explain how the sextant works. Show how to use it and demonstrate measuring horizontal angles and altitudes.
2. Find latitude by the altitude of Polaris or by the sun's altitude at local apparent noon. Demonstrate how longitude is determined.
3. Demonstrate finding error in the boat's compass by the sun's azimuth.
6. Drill: Demonstrate your ability to handle the ship's company in close-order drill. Do all required maneuvers.
7. Piloting: Under competent direction, assume the duties of navigator of your ship's vessel. Plot its projected course between two ports at least two hours apart and cruise that course mooring to mooring handling all piloting duties. The cruise should be made in daylight hours with good visibility.
8. Yacht Racing Crew: Take charge of a crew in a race using current ISAF racing rules.
9. Rigging: Demonstrate your ability to splice and handle wire rope, attach wire rope fittings, and complete a safety and tuning inspection of a ship vessel.
10. USPS: As an apprentice member of the United States Power Squadrons complete the Advanced Piloting course.

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